A Guide to Spending Summer in San Francisco’s Winter

Prior to completing the Industry Placement Program, I had never travelled outside New South Wales on my own before. So why did I even consider going to the other side of the globe? For me, IPP was the right balance of academic, work and travel… the perfect opportunity to spend a summer in winter.

Applying for IPP

In my first year, I had spent my summer break working full-time and eventually regretting a chance to do something different. When I had considered how I’d use my next break, I decided it was best to take a unit and, from my research, I found the Local Industry Placement Program (IPP). I was sold having attended the Info Session, as I realised the uniqueness of the cultural immersion offered by travelling to the US! As an equity student, hearing about the scholarships available made me realise that travelling would be realistic. In order to stand out amongst the competitive crowd, I had attended different sessions offered by the Careers and Employability Office and utilised their resources on Canvas to tailor my application.

My IPP experience

I was hired as a Policy Intern at Livable City, a non-profit organisation aiming to improve San Francisco’s liveability. I was nervous as I had limited experience in data analytics and no understanding of the local neighbourhood’s conditions. However, my co-workers were friendly and always wanted to know more about Australia. The comforting work environment and office cat (Puff Puff) made me feel as though I could easily ask questions about my projects.

The office cat, Puff Puff

Upon completion of my placement, I had exceeded expectations by completing two different projects! To finish off my 5 weeks, I presented in front of the organisation on my findings, what I had learnt and my own perspective on San Francisco city.

My final work day: The team wanted me to sit on a bike since they knew I didn’t know how to ride one

Highlight of the trip: my own San Francisco tour!

The most important thing I learnt while travelling was to research how to manage my time. The first few days of having no sim card, not understanding where I was living or even having the bare necessities to live in my apartment were difficult. At that moment, I had promised to spend the following weekends exploring San Francisco sites, travelling across the bays and to show my family I was making an effort. My proudest moment was when I successfully pulled off a full day of visiting Fisherman’s Wharf, In N’ Out, the Maritime National Museum, Lombard Street, the Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, the Golden Cookie Factory, the Cable Car Museum and the Grace Cathedral! This gave me the confidence to spend the following weekends visiting other popular destinations and making time for the assessments in-between. The best part of the trip was reporting my adventures back to my colleagues and taking their advice on where I should go next.

Now it’s your turn to apply! 

Completing this program has been transformative on how I approach university and work in Sydney. I have learnt to balance my professional, academic and personal goals through organisation techniques adopted in America. This has been possible due to the amazing team in the Careers and Employability Office dedicating so much effort in finding me a suitable placement. I have grown into a student capable of travelling across cities on her own, with a mature outlook on the workplace.

The rooftop of our apartment, located near Twitter Headquarters

Despite any concerns you may have, there is nothing to lose by sending in an application. My experience continues to live on as I stay connected with fellow peers, as well as my co-workers at Livable City. Submit your IPP application for your journey of a lifetime!

Written by Catherine Nguyen